The Routledge Companion to Research in the Arts

university PoLiti Cs and Pra Cti Ce-based researCh

have everything to gain from a mutual exchange. unless artistic R&d can be

accepted as a research field in its own right, with an earmarked annual budget

and ... independent status ... our conclusion is that a different public agency

or principal for artistic R&d support should be considered.

(Karlsson 2007: 166)

it is interesting to compare the experiences from sweden with those of neighbouring
norway. in the latter country artistic research was brought to the university agenda at
a later stage and another type of support scheme for the new research area was devised.
This was a programme for research fellowships in the arts.
The objective of the norwegian programme is that the chosen research fellow shall
produce an independent work of art at a high international level and simultaneously
study theory and method in depth in order to acquire greater knowledge in his/her own
field. Through the three- year programme, the research fellow is supposed to receive
training in communicating and teaching at a high level. The aim is not to imitate the
research training programmes that lead to a doctoral degree.
The question of degrees, which is a hot issue in some other countries, has thus been
left aside. on the other hand it is clearly stated that completion of the programme
with a satisfactory result confers associate professor competence on the basis of the
artistic qualifications for appointment to teaching and research positions at norwegian
universities and university colleges.
The norwegian model has obvious advantages compared to the swedish scheme
in the sense that it is an independent programme separated from the normal research
council structure in the country. The tensions between ‘old’ and ‘new’ research
traditions have thus been relaxed. also, by distinguishing the norwegian fellowships
from traditional doctoral training, the discussion around the artistic doctorates and
regular phds has been avoided.
This does not mean that fellow norwegians will escape a very rigorous scrutiny of
their produced work when the three- year period is over. apart from the artistic project,
a critical reflection must be presented and documented. in this the candidate must
justify:

• personal professional perspective/work in relation to chosen subject area
  nationally and internationally;


• how the project contributes to professional development of the subject area;


• critical reflection on process (artistic choices and turning points, theory
  applied, dialogue with various networks and the professional environment
  etc.);


• critical reflection on results (self- evaluation of the revised project description);


• the results of the critical reflection must be available to the public and
  durable in character. The researcher can, however, choose the appropriate
  medium and form.

The norwegian model, in which the successful researcher will be granted eligibility
for certain teaching posts is an interesting feature. There has been a debate in some
countries about the relation between teaching posts in art schools and the formal